Taste of Yaletown mixes it up with Shakedown Cocktail Competition

The best bartenders of Yaletown congregated in Minami Restaurant for a night of Bacardi Rum cocktails and a chance to show off their skills.

Competing restaurants were: Glowbal Grill, Hamilton Street Grill, Killjoy, Minami, The New Oxford and Society. Judges were Cassandra Anderton of Good Life Van, Colin Turner, Manager and head Bartender at East of Main Cafe and Director of @canbartenders, and Curtis Kirby of Bacardi.

It was a packed house with guests eager to try the concoctions of their favorite bartenders as they wiggled around, getting cozy with those beside them. There was very little breathing room, let alone drinking room, yet with a passion for cocktails many drinks were had and smiles still ran from ear to ear.

While all of the drinks were unique and well-crafted, like any competition there has to be a winner.

Christian from Killjoy took the People’s Choice award with his “Sinful Pear” cocktail that to me tasted exactly like Autumn would if shaken in to a martini. It warmed my insides and was something I could definitely see myself cozying up with by the fire at my house. Can you tell it was my vote?

The judges however, found The New Oxford’s Julia Diakow’s “15th and Maple” cocktail to be supreme. A combination of Bacardi OakHeart, Benedictine liqueur, lemon juice, apple cider and walnut-infused maple syrup gave her cocktail a unique flavour that was crisp, sweet and tart. There was no denying it was a crowd pleaser and like me, many people went back for seconds or thirds.

The centrally located Minami Restaurant is not only stunning in decor but also in the presentation and taste of their food. Servers were constantly bombarded with hands reaching from every each way, guests eager to have another bite to eat. The new restaurant proved itself with its culinary skills as they offered a wide range of dishes including a delectable beef skewer, sablefish with sea-foam and a very popular “torched” sushi, the salmon oshi aburi sushi.